This section is intended to introduce the reader to various aspects of art that may be related to various aspects of the present disclosure, which are described and/or claimed below. This discussion is believed to be helpful in providing the reader with background information to facilitate a better understanding of the various aspects of the present disclosure. Accordingly, it should be understood that these statements are to be read in this light, and not as admissions of prior art.
As will be appreciated, oil and natural gas have a profound effect on modern economies and societies. In order to meet the demand for such natural resources, numerous companies invest significant amounts of time and money in searching for and extracting oil, natural gas, and other subterranean resources from the earth. Particularly, once a desired resource is discovered below the surface of the earth, drilling and production systems are often employed to access and extract the resource. These systems can be located onshore or offshore depending on the location of a desired resource. Further, such systems generally include a wellhead assembly through which the resource is extracted. These wellhead assemblies generally include a wide variety of components and/or conduits, such as various control lines, casings, valves, and the like, that control drilling and/or extraction operations.
In drilling and extraction operations, various components and tools, in addition to and including wellheads, are employed to provide for drilling, completion, and production of a mineral resource. For example, a long pipe, such as a casing, may be lowered into the earth through the wellhead assembly to enable access to the natural resource. Additional pipes and/or tubes may then be run through the casing to facilitate extraction of the resource. In certain circumstances, additional elements may be coupled to the long pipe run through the wellhead, such as centralizers. Unfortunately, running of long pipe, such as casing, and components coupled to the long pipe through the wellhead assembly can potentially cause premature wear and/or degradation to one or more wellhead assembly components from unintended or undesired contact between the pipe and the wellhead assembly.